Friday, August 14, 2009

For several years it's heralded the end of summer for Smooth Jazz fans in a big way. "Smooth Jazz at South Shore" is an incredible evening of live music on the sandy shores of Lake Michigan in Michigan City, Indiana. This year's event features three performers who never disappoint: powerhouse saxman Richard Elliot, smooth-as-silk trumpeter Rick Braun and awesome singer/multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Butler as "Jazz Attack" on Saturday, August 29, at 7:30 p.m.

"Smooth Jazz at South Shore" was the brainchild of Bernie Scott, a local businessman and proprietor of The Joy of Flowers in Michigan City. Through his tireless efforts each year, Smooth Jazz fans in Northwest Indiana and Chicagoland get to enjoy an evening with the genre's premiere artists, and several important charities in the area benefit from a portion of the proceeds. It's a definite win-win for Smooth Jazz and several worthy organizations. Last year's event, for example, raised over $100,000 for the Sand Castle Shelter for Children and Families, the Stepping Stone Shelter for Women and the American Red Cross, LaPorte County Chapter.

My wife, Lori, and I attended our first "Smooth Jazz at South Shore" concert last August, when Nick Colionne and Mindi Abair were the headliners. Bernie and his staff put on such a good show that we're looking forward to being back this year. We hope you decide to come join us, too. I guarantee you'll enjoy their hospitality and, with the excitement of "Jazz Attack," I can think of no better way to wrap up our summer.